Beyond The Metal Bars
by Sailor-Sutty
Summary: A transfer student from a Reform School arrives at McKinley High and is surprised about how everything is totally different. After a short while she questions whether or not it was a right move until she starts to see what McK really has to offer. OCxGlee
1. Chapter 1

I remember the day I moved to McKinley High. The first thing I remembered was how lax the security was. Coming from where I came from, this was a joke. I transferred from Jane Adams Reform School because they and I felt that I would be more suited in a normal school because as far as I thought, I was reformed and keeping me there just wasn't necessary so I requested a transfer. The one thing I was looking forward too was the History classes, I figured there would be actual History teachers teaching there. History was my favourite subject so I anticipated my first class. I walked through the front doors, not through a metal detector, I was greeted by a teacher instead of frisked by a guard. So far so good I guessed. I went to the main office where I stood awaiting my time table when a young teacher approached me.

"So you must be new." he smiled. I guessed around 27. From the open pocket of his jacket, I could see the faint outline of his wallet just sitting there, it would be so easy for me to take that…but no that was the old me, if I wanted to stay here I had to behave. Besides he seemed nice enough so I have nothing against him yet anyway.

"Yea I'm Circe."

"Ah like the Greek enchantress."

"Em…yea something like that."

"Well welcome to McKinley High. I'm Will Schuster." he smiled his hand out before him. I shook it just as the secretary arrived with my schedule. "And if you need any help just come find me." he said before walking back out into the busy corridor. I looked at my class listings and my first class was biology in room 2A. Now where that was I wasn't sure, but I had History straight after so that I could look forward too. I wandered around looking at the rooms and eventually found it. I opened the door and everyone turned to look.

"New student?" the teacher asked.

"Yes." I said before taking my seat. This guy with a Mohawk turned around to face me while the teacher talked.

"Hey you the jailbird?"

"I resent that…but yes." I said slightly ashamed that I was going to be known as that.

"Nice! I'm Puck and I gotta say I'm bit on that side too.." he smirked. He may have thought he was a bad boy but he has never met a person like me before.

"Circe." I whispered.

"Cool, what's your name?"

"Noah! Stop talking!" boomed the teacher.

He winked and turned back around in his seat. Was it just me or were they all idiots? After bio, it was time for History. Yay! I found the classroom as soon as I could and took my seat. Once the class started I was totally engrossed in what the teacher was saying. The girl who had sat next to me kept fidgeting and I could see it out of the corner of my eye and it was very distracting. She had mosey brown hair and a rather sizeable nose I must say.

"Miss T may I just request I sit in a different seat."

"Why Rachael?"

"Because I am very aware of the fact that I am sitting next to the new student which normally wouldn't bother me but I am aware of her history and where she has transferred from as I'm sure most of the class is too and I would like to switch seats."

It starts.

"Rachael…please just be quiet." it looked as if this Rachael was eroding the last nerve of the History teacher, which was understandable. She stayed quiet but it was clear she detested the fact she had to sit next to me even though she didn't even know me. She edged her seat away throughout the class though. As it turned out Mr. Schuster was my Spanish teacher in my next class, and of course like the other classes everyone wanted to know if I was going to take out a knife and stab them or start injecting heroin into my eyeballs. I figured people would realise I wasn't all bad and that I had just made a few mistakes in the past. I hoped this school would give me the chance to make a fresh start but it would take a long time before I lose my bad reputation. Mr. Schuster treated me like a normal student though and was even impressed with my level of Spanish considering the school I was in before. It didn't take long for word to go round that I was in basically a juvenile school and was some sort of a criminal, which was only partly true.

The first day was always the hardest. By lunch I was already exhausted and couldn't wait to go home. Now, I was used to free meals being given to me in like prison trays from my last school, so you could only imagine my discontent when they asked me for 4 dollars for an apple. I refused to even buy a juice carton, not at those prices which I couldn't afford, even with my job.

I figured this was the perfect time to find my locker since there was nobody in the corridor. I eventually found it and held my apple in my mouth while I keyed in my combination. I looked at my empty locker and opened my bag taking out some stickers and pictures I had brought with me. I couldn't get over how clean the lockers were in this school, they weren't vandalised or dented or anything. I hung up some pictures of me and old friends from my old school and some of my favourite bands.

"Hey" a voice said behind me. I swung around and there stood a very glazed looking dude. "I'm Finn." he smiled a goofy smile.

"I'm Circe."

"You're the one that was in jail."

"Em, no you've got it a tad wrong, I was in a reform school."

"O right sorry. Everyone says you're like totally bad and stuff."

"I'm not that bad."

"What did you do?"

"Em…I'd rather not say, why aren't you at lunch?"

"O just a Glee club meeting."

"O you have that here too?"

"Yea, did you have one in your old school."

"We did yea."

"Were you in it?"

"Em no, I never thought I was good enough."

"O well you should totally come to the meeting, I know Mr. Schuster will let you audition."

"Well it's kinda my first day so I'd rather just take things slow, you know find my way around and stuff."

"Finn! What are you doing!" a voice boomed down the hall. It was a girl in a cheerleading uniform with her hair tied back in a viciously tight ponytail. Her face reflected her hair.

"Hey Quinn, I'm just going to Glee you coming?"

"Yea I'm just heading there now." she snapped looking at me. I assumed they were dating, if not then he was just a doormat with anyone. "Why are you talking to her? I hear she's a junkie." she whispered loud enough for me to hear.

"Excuse me!" I was trying not to get angry and revert back to the way I was in my other school but I couldn't help it. I was just about to throw a punch at her, which at my old school would have sorted the problem straight away, but here I guess things are done differently.

"Guys! C'mon your late!" said Mr. Schuster from down the hall. They both rushed off leaving me standing there. I slammed my locker shut and stormed out to the car park. I was too angry and tired to deal with the rest of the day. I was sick of people assuming everything they hear about me is true. Like I wonder where she heard I was a junkie? Who came up with that? And ok I was in jail but only for a while before I was sent to that school. Maybe my decision to change was too soon. Although I figured that whenever I decided to leave the school, that reputation would always follow me so it was best I learn how to deal with it now I guess. Maybe tomorrow will be better.


	2. Chapter 2

I got home to my dingy apartment and fell straight asleep forgetting all about that first day. The alarm went off the next morning and I knocked it off the table. I managed to sleep all that time, wow that even beat my other record. Anyway, I got up, showered and got ready for my second day of school. I drove into the car park and of course everyone stared. Ok, I promised myself that today was going to be better. I was actually early for Spanish and Mr. Schuster greeted me with a big smile like he always does.

"Hey Circe, how was the first day?"

"It was ok." I sighed.

"Really? Doesn't sound like it."

"Ah things here are just different, it'll take me a while to get used to it."

"Yea I'm sure your school was totally different to this one, it was that Reform school wasn't it?"

"Yea, I cant get over the lack of security." I laughed.

"I suppose it would be different. Have you made any new friends?"

"Em no people here aren't really acceptable of my background."

"Well I think I know somewhere where you might fit in." he smiled.

"Really? Where?"

"Glee club."

"What?"

"I'd like you to try out."

"Why?"

"Because I think it'll be good for you."

"I'll think about it." I said as students began to walk in.

"Great." he smiled before he started today's class.

Glee club? Me? Well I know that Finn guy was in it, which was an interesting thought and if Mr. Schuster was running that then that was a good sign. Maybe I should try I guess. Class ended and I approached Mr. Schuster and asked him what time Glee was starting at. He smiled and told me when and where. I sat at lunch eating a sandwich I had brought myself when that guy, I think he said his name was Puck came over.

"Sup jailbird." he said setting his try down.

"May I help you?"

"Yea I was thinking I'm clearly a badass and so are you so I was thinking it was best if we hook up." he grinned.

"Em no." I said taking a bite. At least at my last school I didn't have to deal with this, it was just other girls. Although there was the odd lesbian who would try it on.

"Why?" he said his tone totally changing.

"Listen mate if you think you're a badass, you obviously have no idea what a badass is." I snapped.

"You think you're so great just coz you were in that school for psycho's!." he sneered.

"Whatever." I said getting up.

"So what did you do? Drag a straight razor across someone's throat?" he laughed loudly as everyone went silent and turned around to see what the drama was.

"Don't go there." I warned.

"Why? That's what you did isn't it?" he jeered.

I don't know what came over me, everything that I had suppressed ever since I had I had been moving just came out in raging anger and I threw a vicious punch at Puck and then tackled him to the ground. We were wrestling for a few minutes before a teacher arrived and pulled us apart. He wiped his burst lip while I felt around for the cut I knew was over my eye. I touched it and the usual stinging sensation came over me. We were dragged into the principals office and pushed into the seats to await the principal. I gotta say fighting a dude was a lot more fun than fighting the girls. I could have sworn he was trying to cop a feel while I was punching his face in. I suppose he is a dude after all.

"I love these fights don't you." he smiled taking the ice pack off his lip. I took mine off my eye and shot him an icy look. "Shut up."

"I gotta say you are a badass and when you burst my lip, that was so hot."

"You are sick." I sneered.

Then the principal walked in and he did not look happy.

"You have been here one wet day and you are already causing trouble, I knew accepting your transcript was a mistake!" he yelled, although it was hard to make out what he said.

"It was my fault." Puck suddenly said.

I was shocked to say the least. I looked at him wide eyed but he didn't return it.

"Puck, this just doesn't seem like your style, are you sure?"

"Yea totally, new kid needed to be shown who was boss, no big deal."

"Ok…Puck detention and don't do it again! Circe, I'm sure Puck is sorry."

I looked at him and he licked his top lip as he winked at me.

"Yea I'm sure he is."

I walked to the class I was late for with an ice pack still securely over my eye. I walked in and took my seat while everyone of course whispered and giggled. One girl leaned over to her friend and whispered "See, knew she was trouble." I had to fight the urge not to punch her but I didn't want to get into any more trouble. I managed to get through the rest of the day without speaking to anyone, although I did have awkward eye contact with that glazed over looking dude, Finn was it? Something like that. He didn't make it half obvious that he was staring. At one point in the day I caught him looking and he lifted up a history and started reading it upside down and didn't realise it for a good five minutes. Anyway, I stood at my locker packing away my books anticipating when I could just sit in my car and listen to music and drive home. Shit, Glee. I totally forgot and banged my head against the locker. I dragged my feet to the choir room. I peered in the window and saw the strangest group of people ever. 2 Asians, one of course the token Goth, a kid in a wheelchair, what looked like a dude but what can only be described as a lady, the token black kid who was also overweight. Jesus this group didn't stand a chance but then mixed in was Puck, Finn and that girl who didn't want to sit next to me and some cheerleaders. What was with this group? I walked in and everyone turned and stared.

"What are you doing here?" said that annoying big nosed girl.

"Mr. S said I should try out." I said closing the door behind me.

"We don't associate with criminals." she stated.

"That's ok I'm Catholic."

Finn started laughing to himself before that cheerleader shut him up with once quick glance.

"All the same I don't think any of us would feel our possession's or ourselves are safe with you in Glee Club." said the wheelchair kid. "My pockets may not be as accessible as the other's but I do know from what I heard in the canteen that you carry a switchblade in your bag."

Where did he get that from?

"Scars and cuts are unsightly." squeaked the obviously gay kid while checking his nails.

"Hey guys!" Mr. Schuster suddenly beamed coming in the door.

He noticed the obvious tension with me standing on the opposite side of the room.

"What's going on?"

"Mr. Schu when were you going to tell us you invited this criminal."

"Excuse me!" he suddenly growled.

"Rachael, that is a terrible thing to say!"

"It's true."

"No Rachael, it's not really she's obviously better now." spoke Finn. I was amazed he was allowed speak without that cheerleaders permission. "Better…is that the right word?" he said glancing from side to side.

"Close enough Finn." said Mr. Schu. "She has reformed herself into a new person so I don't think we should judge her on her past."

"I don't know Mr. S I like her past, she's a badass and I think it's hot." smiled Puck.

"Alright Puck enough, now I would like you to treat her like everybody else. You have all been in her shoes before, outcast and judged and I didn't think you guys were that shallow. Now I admit she's made mistakes but she's overcome that. Now what are you gonna sing for your audition?"

I looked at him, then looked at everybody. There was hatred, lust and confusion in the sets of eyes watching me.

"You know what Mr. S I don't think this is such a good idea after all."

"What? Why?"

"No stay." piped Finn.

"I don't think this road is for me." I smiled meekly at him and left.

I had just left the room when Mr. S came running out after me. "Hey what happened in there?"

"Nothing I just don't think it's for me."

"What happened to your eye?"

"O just a little incident with Puck."

He looked bewildered by this but didn't say anything. "Please just come back to Glee Club."

"They clearly don't want me there Sir."

"That is not true, I know for a fact that Finn and Puck both would like you back."

"I don't care it's not my thing."

"Look, I know they weren't very accepting but I think they'll come around, and I know you're tougher than that. You survived that other school, so a couple of words is not going to deter you I know it."

"You don't know shit." I said before turning and leaving.

Who did they think they were judging me like that? My mind was racing with anger while I got in my car.

"Circe! Circe!" I heard someone call from behind me. I looked behind and saw Finn running at me.

"What?"

"I was wondering if maybe you needed someone to show you around the school, I kinda got the feeling you didn't know where everything was just yet."

"Em sure."

"Tomorrow? Is that ok? We can come in early and I can show you where everything is." he smiled.

"Ok, sounds cool." I lied.

"How about you give me your number and I'll text you tonight with the time."

"Or you could just tell me now."

"Er, I'm not quite sure now." he stuttered.

I just wanted to see him sweat. I smiled and gave him my number before driving off. He was nice but then I remembered that cheerleader, he was going out with her right? Maybe there was trouble in paradise, yea that was it, trouble called Circe.


End file.
